


Together Wherever We Go

by just_another_classic



Category: Captain America (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-02 07:40:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19194595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_another_classic/pseuds/just_another_classic
Summary: A third person returns with Ian and Sharon. (Alternate Ending/Canon Divergence to the Dimension Z story)





	Together Wherever We Go

**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea I was kicking around while reading Remender's run on Captain America.
> 
> Some dialogue was lifted directly from Captain America Vol. 7 #23-25

_ "Avengers Mansion has stood for over a hundred years. In recent years, it has been home to the mightiest beings on Earth. Its walls are impenetrable. Its security infallible. Few have ever broken into this mansion. None ever so quickly." _

_ -Captain America Vol. 7 #23 _

* * *

 

 

Steve watched as the two figures worked their way through the mansion. They made quite an odd pair: a man, large and heavily armored — “Spiky, Armored Intruder Guy,” Tony had called him — partnered with a young woman dressed in black, her long, blonde hair twisted into a braid. They fought well, Steve had to admit. He watched as the two evaded Tony and the Hulk. In some ways, the woman reminded him of Sharon. She moved in similar ways, and if she wore white, he could almost believe it was her.

But Sharon was gone, and if these two had their way, he would be joining her soon.  _ Not the worst alternative if I go,  _ he thought darkly. He was old now, his body drained of the serum. He lived a long life, a much too long life. There were others who could pick up the mantle of Captain America, and then maybe he could be with Sharon and Ian.  _ No, not the worst fate at all. _

But, even with death serving as a not so unfavorable option, there was no way in hell Steve Rogers wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

Far too soon, the duo reached his location. The man lowered his weapon and the young woman did the same with her batons. She tilted her head, assessing him. At this proximity, Steve realized how young she was, twenty at best. God, he hated fighting the younger ones.

“Y-you’re old,” the man said suddenly, clearly dumbfounded to find him an old man and not his stronger and blonder self.

“You told me he’d be younger,” the young woman added. Her gaze still hadn’t moved from Steve. He was struck by how much she even looked like Sharon.  _ You’re going senile in your old age. _

“ _ I  _ thought he would be younger.”

“Regardless of my age, I’m not too old to take out two of Zola’s assassins,” Steve replied. He readied his cane. He could still do this. Besides...

“He’s got young friends!” Hulk smashed onto the scene. Steve watched as his would-be assassins dodged out of the way. He would be impressed if they weren’t trying to kill him. 

The duo sprinted his way. They were faster than he would have preferred, but Steve still had his training. He spun his cane around, hit the woman in the head, as he kicked out at the man. She stumbled backwards, more than a little dazed.  _ I’ve still got it.  _

“In about five minutes, you’re really going to wish you hadn’t done that,” the man in armor said. His words didn’t appear to be a threat, but were instead laced with panic.  _ He cares for her, _ Steve realized. 

“I think you’re going to be the one wishing you hadn’t done any of this.” The man made the mistake of getting close, clearly too distracted by his fallen friend. Steve hit him with the cane, and the man crumpled, allowing Steve to knee him in the chest. Steve’s bones ached at the contact, his body no longer as protected as it had been. 

“Now if you know what’s good for you, stay down,” he warned. Assassins or not, he was really not in the mood to kill anyone today. 

“I’m afraid I can’t,” the man began. He stood — the idiot — but then he went to remove his helmet. “I was always taught to stand up.”

Steve gulped,the words all too familiar. “W-What did you just say?”

“I always stand up. Like my dad taught me.”

_ Ian. _

He was older, clearly, tall and broad shouldered. But it was his son. His knees felt weak, and not because of the fight. “I watched you die.”

The man smiled. It was Ian’s smile. Steve would recognize that smile anywhere. “I fell into Zola’s bio-mass tank. Same stuff I’m made of, coded to regenerate…”

Steve didn’t let him finish, and pulled his son — his son was alive! — into a tight hug. Even with Thor, the Hulk, and Tony Stark standing to the side watching and commenting, he was unafraid to let the tears fall. Despite the horror around them, Steve reckoned that this might be the happiest day of his life. All too soon, Ian pulled away, craning his head to assess the state his associate.

“Sarah, are you okay?”

“Ow,” was the response that came. The young woman — Sarah — gingerly stood up from where she had fallen, her hand to her head. Steve instantly felt a wave of guilt at hurting his son’s friend. “Concussion at worst, I think.” Her gaze fell on Steve. “Thanks for that.”

Steve turned to help her steady herself. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were friends.”

“Yeah, well they did try to kill us,” Tony interjected from his corner of the room. 

Sarah turned to glare at him. “We did not! We were just trying to get to him.” She pointed to Steve. “You’re supposed to be him, right? Steve Rogers? Captain America?”

“I might not necessarily be Captain America anymore, but I’m definitely Steve Rogers.” 

Sarah looked at him with her large blue eyes like she was really seeing him for the first time. Steve had a strange feeling that this was supposed to be an important moment, but he could not figure out why.

“I’m Sarah,” she announced, jutting out her hand. “I’m...I’m…”

**“Steve, it’s Falcon, are you there?!?”**

There attention all turned back to the computer. For a moment, Steve almost forgot about the terror outside. Monsters were spilling out of Zola’s tower, and the situation was growing more dire by the minute. They listened as Sam outlined his plan, sending in the Avengers as a distraction. 

“Avengers Assemble,” Ian said with a smile. Steve wondered how long his son had waited to say that. There was a part of him that didn’t want to part from him so soon, but he knew well enough that if all hands on deck didn’t join the fray, that he would have no future time with Ian either. 

“You heard what my son said. Time to save the day,” Steve announced. He ignored whatever Tony murmured over the weirdness of Steve being a father, and instead turned his attention to the conversation Ian and Sarah were engaged in.

“You’re not going.”

“They need help.”

“You’re concussed!”

“Maybe concussed!”

“Stay here and guard Dad. If anything breaches the mansion, he can’t be here solo.” 

They both turned their attention back to him, as if realizing they had an audience for their conversation. Steve raised his hands in supplication, “I could use some company.”

Normally, Steve wasn’t fond of asking for help; however, this was far from a normal situation. Thanks to him, Sarah wasn’t in the best shape to go, and Ian clearly didn’t want her on the front lines either. Ian also wasn’t totally wrong. If some of the mutates did manage to find their way into the mansion, he would appreciate the support.

Finally realizing that no one was on her side, Sarah finally relented. “Fine. Whatever.”

“Teenagers,” Ian mused, sharing a look with Steve. It hurt to think that he had missed Ian’s teenage years. He was already a man. How much of his child’s life had he missed? 

Sarah glared at him. “I’m almost twenty.”

“Almost being the keyword. You have eight more months to go, kiddo.”

“Has anyone told you that you are the worst?”

“You. Daily.” 

**“Guys, I could really use your help right about now!”** Sam’s voice crackled over the communications unit. 

That was the Avengers’ cue to head out, leaving Steve alone with Sarah. They stood side-by-side, watching the fight play out on the screen. He felt strange waiting with the young woman beside him. She was apparently so close to Ian, and Steve knew nothing about her, how they met, or their relationship. It wasn’t romantic, that much Steve could tell by their dynamic. Almost familial, but why the hell was she in Dimension Z.

“How do you know Ian?” he finally asked. He could still monitor the battle and have smalltalk. Hell, he used to have smalltalk while fighting a battle.

“Uh,” he gaze darted away from him, “he’s always just sort of been around, and after Mom died, it was just the two of us.”

“I’m sorry. My mother died when I was young. I know how hard that can be,” he replied. He was glad Ian could be present for her. 

“I know. Ian told me.”

“My mom’s name was Sarah, too.”

“I also know that.” She was looking at him strangely, almost as if she were waiting for a penny to drop. Something was niggling at the back of Steve’s mind, though he wasn’t sure of what. 

“I see you know a lot about me.”  _ And I know nothing about you.  _ There was something familiar about her, but he chalked it up to the fact that in many ways, she reminded him of Sharon. God, he missed her, but he couldn’t dwell on Sharon right now. Too much was at stake.

“Stories about you were always my favorite when I was younger.”

She appeared to be about to say something else, but then Sam’s voice crackled and they turned back to the comm unit. 

**“Steve. Are you there?”**

“I’ve got a visual, Sam.” He informed Sam that the Avengers were doing as he asked, keeping busy with the mutates, and warned him how to fight Zola. “Get through that armor and tear at his circuits.”

**“I know, but that’s not just it, Steve. Sharon is up there. She’s in the tower** — **she’s alive.”**

Beside him, Sarah gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth, but Steve could not focus on her right now. He couldn’t focus on anything except the words playing over in his head —  _ she’s alive, she’s alive, she’s alive.  _ Today was quickly proving to be the best day ever, or a particularly amazing dream. He decided to focus on the former. It had to be the former. He couldn’t bear to be dreaming of her and Ian’s return again. 

But none of that would matter if she was still in Zola’s clutches. She needed to be out of the tower, and she needed to be out of there now. He felt helpless to assist her in the state he was in, but he knew the next best person to ask.  _ Please trust him this time, Sharon,  _ he silently willed.

He turned back to the comm. “Ian, we’ve got a sit—”

He was abruptly cut off by Sarah. “Mom’s alive! She’s alive, Ian. Sam Wilson found her, and she’s in the tower. You have to go get her now.”

**_“Mom’s alive?”_ ** Ian’s voice crackled over the line. He sounded surprised. Scared. Hopeful.

“Mom? What the hell is going on?” Steve turned to look between the screens where he could see Ian fighting to Sarah, whose hopeful determination was belied by the tears in her eyes. 

**_“She kind of raised me in Dimension Z after you left. We thought — we thought she was dead,”_ ** Steve heard Ian explain, but his focus was entirely on Sarah. 

Sarah, who bore a striking resemblance to Sharon. Similar facial structure and build, similar fighting style.  _ “In about five minutes, you’re going to wish you hadn’t done that,”  _ Ian had said after Steve had struck her. He’d thought he said it because Sarah had turned out to be an ally, his friend. But she was more than that, wasn’t she?

She had the same name as his mother.

_ Oh God. _

Sarah noticed his staring. “Took you long enough.”

Yep. She was definitely Sharon’s kid.

And his, assuming he wasn’t horribly misreading the situation. He really hoped he wasn’t misreading the situation.

Unsure of what he should do, Steve did the only action that could come to mind: he hugged her. She froze for a moment before melting into his arms. She squeezed him tightly, her face buried in his chest. 

“I wanted to do this for a very long time,” she confessed. Steve felt a tightness in his chest, one that he recognized soon enough as joy. He never wanted to let her go.

**“** **_—_ ** **this mean Cap has two kids now? Hey Steve, remind me not to book you for any safe sex PSAs** **_—_ ** **”**

“That’s Tony Stark, right?” Sarah whispered as Tony’s voice floated over the intercom. She pulled away from him to better watch the fight. 

“Yep.”

“He’s exactly like how Mom described him.”

“You’re mother isn’t one to exaggerate.” 

“She’ll be happy to see you. She missed you.”

He had missed Sharon, too. Desperately, to the point where it was difficult to breathe. He was kicking himself for not trying to find a way to go after her, for accepting her death  _ again _ . And this time, she had been fending not only for her life, but for Ian and Sarah as well. _ I should have been there.  _ Steve was always impressed with Sharon’s resilience, it was one of the qualities that drew him to her, but she shouldn’t have ever been in a position to rely on it in such a way. 

“Ian, where’s you’re location?” he asked, eager to have both Sharon and his son safe. He found himself suddenly very grateful that Ian had insisted Sarah stay behind. He wasn’t sure he could handle knowing the entirety of his family was in the middle of the fray. 

**_“Made it to the tower. Still trying to get a lock on Mom.”_ **

“Don’t screw this up, Ian,” Sarah chided. By the sound of her voice, she was clearly joking, something Ian knew to pick up on.

**_“Be nice. I changed your diapers.”_** Steve’s heart ached at what clearly was a familial routine, one the two had perfected over the years. _You missed this_ , he thought, _missed seeing her in diapers and watching your children grow up._ _“_ ** _I got a visual. She’s holding her own, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind some help.”_**

“Well, duh,” Sarah muttered under her breath. Steve didn’t miss the way her body tended, however. Unsure if he was overstepping his bounds of whatever relationship they had, he reached out and grabbed her hand in assurance. He was pleased when she squeezed back.

They waited for what seemed like an eternity for Ian to say something, anything to let them know both he and Sharon were safe. Sarah continued to squeeze his hand tightly to the point that her grip almost hurt, but he would be damned before he let go.

**_“Hey, Dad. We’re okay, but we have a bit of a problem. There’s a bomb. Big enough to wipe out the city and everyone in it.”_ **

Any relief at knowing Sharon and Ian were safe dissipated the moment Ian revealed that Zola’s plan involved the bomb. Quickly, he informed the rest of the Avengers of the development, and watched in horror as Sam made the sacrifice play.

“Sam, what are you doing?” he asked, hoping he was wrong.  _ Not Sam. No. _

**“You and Sharon deserve some peace, Steve. Promise me you’ll find some? Marry her, spend some time with your kids, because I promise if you don’t--”**

Sam’s communicator cut off, and Steve found himself collapsing to his knees. Sarah went down with him, and he realized that she was still holding his hand. She hadn’t let go.

“Dad…?”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He would not cry in front of her right now. He had to put on a brave face not just for her, but the others. “We should get the park.”

He needed to see his friend’s body.

Sam was gone. He was a good man, perhaps one of the best Steve had ever known. And he sacrificed himself, his finals words imploring Steve to be a better life. Truly, he was the best of them. His wished that Ian and Sarah had more time to get to know them, but vowed he would never let them forget him. 

When the jet landed, Sarah lingered with him before they disembarked. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Eventually,” he replied, and he opened himself to the world.

It was the perfect kind of day. Sunny, warm with a cool breeze. Not the kind of day a man expects to say goodbye to a friend on. There was a flurry of movement beside him, and Sarah darted forward. Steve pulled his gaze away from the crowd gathered around Sam’s body to follow her direction, only to see Sharon racing toward her. His heart constricted as they collided into a hug, Sharon’s arms wrapping around their daughter and her fingers tangling into Sarah’s hair.

Steve hobbled toward them, the sight of Sharon serving as his anchor. Her gaze caught his, and slowly she extracted herself from Sarah. She reached out to him, and Steve reminded himself that he wasn’t dreaming. She touched his face, and pressed her head to his. Her breath fanned against his skin, and it was everything he ever dreamed. A million thoughts ran through his mind, apology upon apology, admiration for her strength and beauty...but Sam was gone.

Then, a miracle happened. Not the first of the day for Steve, but no less great: Sam got up, and his family was whole once more.

Later, after the dust had settled and Sam was taken to the infirmary, after day had turned to night and everyone had gone to bed, Steve laid awake in bed, Sharon by his side. He twisted her hair between his fingers, marveling that this small action was something he could once again do. 

“I missed your obsession with my hair.”

“I missed everything about you.”

“Always trying to one up me,” she teased. Even in the dark, he knew Sharon was rolling his eyes. That was also one of the things he missed. Like he told her, he missed everything about her. “You’re infuriating, you know.”

“It’s why you love me,” he replied. He untangled his fingers from her hair, opting instead to pull her close. It was different, holding her in his older body. Hers was different too, but the action was no less special. “And I think you win any one-upping in the future. When you were gone, I was a mess. But there were you in Dimension Z, keeping our family together and safe. You were so much stronger than me.”

“I was only so strong because I had to be. Don’t forget that I spent a year think you were dead. I wasn’t pretty.”

“You’re always pretty,” he argued, knowing that wasn’t the point she had been trying to make. He didn’t care. He’d take every opportunity to compliment her if need be.

She chuckled, again muttering something about him being infuriating, before falling silent. Steve continued to hold her, relishing the sound of her breath and press of her body against his. To think he almost lost this forever. To think he was debated whether he wanted this to be his forever or not. He remembered his brief moment of agonizing over her proposal to him, caught off guard and wondering what it had meant. He now knew it meant this, the love of his life in his arms and their children — though they were hardly children anymore — sleeping in another room. 

The thought of Sarah brought to mind a question he had been wondering since he learned of his relationship to her. He wondered if by asking it would make Sharon angry, but he needed to know. Not that it would change anything. “Do you remember when you proposed? Before this whole thing with Dimension Z started?”

“Yes.” He could tell she wanted to ask more, that spy of his, but she granted him the chance to follow his line of thought.

“Did you know about Sarah when you did it? I know you didn’t mention it, but did you know were pregnant when you did it?”

“Are you asking me if I was testing you with proposal to see if you wanted to be with me without a baby?” Perhaps he was an idiot. “But if you want an answer, it’s that I didn’t. I just wanted to be with you. I didn’t realize I was pregnant until I was in Dimension Z. And let me tell you, that was an ordeal.”

Steve frowned. There were many things he wanted to say that he knew wouldn’t be appropriate. He wasn’t sure there would ever be a time when he didn’t feel the need to apologize for not being present for her. In some ways, this felt similar to his experience waking from the ice, but instead of the world forging ahead, it was his family. But he said none of the things, instead opting to tell her, “I was going to say yes, just so you know.”

Sharon hummed in response. 

“It’s true,” he argued, realizing she didn’t quite believe him. “In my head, I kept thinking of you as my fiance.”

“And what about now?”

“Right about now, I’m thinking Sam was right about what I should be doing with my life.” Steve threaded their fingers. Holding her hand was one of the best feelings. “Marry you, spend some time with the kids. Not let the rest of my life flash by in service to the shield.”

“Oh we’re getting married now?” 

“You asked!”

“Twenty years ago! I think there’s a statute of limitations there,” she chided. He could still detect the love in her voice. She was goading him. He didn’t mind. “Besides, I had to teach a thirteen-year-old how to deliver a baby. I deserve some romance, Rogers.”

“Oh-ho. I see how it is.” He lifted her hand to his lips, and pressed a kiss there. “How about I tell you that I don’t want to spend another day without you by my side? That I think you are an amazing, dedicated and strong mother, and I am in awe of how Ian and Sarah turned out, and I credit that to you? That seeing your face is the best part of any day, every day? Is that romance?”

“Eh. I’ve heard better,” Sharon teased. He groaned.  _ Who is the infuriating one now?  _ Thankfully, she unthreaded their hands and moved to cup his face. “But yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes!” She kissed him, but it was a messy thing because of how wide he was smiling. Steve couldn’t remember the last time he felt this happy. Everything was falling into place. Now to ensure everything else fell into place...

 

**_One Week Later_ **

 

The mansion was teeming with heroes. He was touched by how many people were willing to come by when he asked. 

“You can’t honestly be surprised,” Sharon teased after he expressed his awe. He was mildly distracted by the flash of her sparkly, new ring. 

“Where’s Sarah?” he asked. Ian was deep in conversation with Thor, but he couldn’t find her anywhere. He was eager to introduce her to the others. Perhaps he was overdoing it with the proud father bit, but he had to make up for missing twenty years of her life. 

“By the looks of it, talking to Johnny Storm.” Sharon surreptitiously pointed to where their daughter was watching with interest as the Human Torch showed off a few fiery tricks. He was perhaps one of the last people he wanted her to meet. 

“Looks like it’s time to get this show on the road.” He frowned, and Sharon sniggered at his obvious displeasure.

Steve took a deep breath. “All right, everyone…”

He was stepping down from being Captain America, handing both the title and mantle to Sam Wilson. He felt no worry. Sam was the perfect choice for his replacement, and he wasn’t going to stop fight the good fight entirely. He and Sharon still planned to run operations outside of the mansion. Not to mention, Ian had taken the Nomad mantle and Sarah had indicated an interest in following in her mother’s footsteps and joining S.H.I.E.L.D. No, Steve Rogers had no doubt about what was coming next. In fact, he was looking forward to the future. He had a plan. He had his friends. And, he finally had his family.

Steve Rogers was at peace.

 


End file.
